The Best Landscapes Start With What You Can’t See
Proper grading and drainage make everything above it work better. We diagnose and install drainage solutions for San Antonio homeowners. We fix standing water, erosion, foundation runoff, and poorly graded yards using French drains, channel drains, dry creek beds, regrading, and downspout diversion.
We've been solving drainage problems on San Antonio properties since 1999 and we know what works in our soil, what holds up through heavy rain, and what to look for before recommending a fix.
Don't Let Your Yard Go Down the Drain
If your yard washes out in the first flash flood, it doesn't matter how pretty it was before. Water has to go somewhere. If that isn't figured out before the landscaping and hardscape go in, you'll see the results after the first heavy rain.
Poor drainage can leave standing water, wash out planting beds, move gravel and mulch, contribute to erosion, and create problems around patios and foundations. Getting the water right helps protect everything else you're investing in above it.
When It Rains, It Pours
San Antonio yards can have heavy clay in one neighborhood and shallow limestone in another, and neither gives water an easy place to go. Add the area's short, intense rainfall events and you have a yard that can go from dry to flooded in under an hour. We design drainage for how San Antonio actually rains. We flag drainage issues when we see them because water problems rarely stay isolated. Nearly 30 years of San Antonio yards has shown us what works and what washes away.
Follow the Water
Start at the Source
Water in one low spot may be coming from a roof, neighboring grade, uphill runoff, irrigation, or somewhere else entirely. Finding the source comes before choosing the solution.
Gravity Does the Heavy Lifting
Whenever possible, we use the existing grade to move water where it needs to go. Sometimes reshaping the yard works better than adding more pipe.
Somewhere to Go
Collecting water is only half the job. A drainage system needs an appropriate outlet so you're moving the problem, not just relocating it a few feet away.
More Than One Thing
Some yards need a combination of grading, surface drainage, downspout management, swales, or subsurface drainage working together.
Go With the Flow
Drainage Services for South Texas Yards
A perforated pipe set in a gravel trench that collects subsurface water and redirects it away from problem areas. One of the most effective solutions for yards that hold water after rain.
French Drains
Surface drains that collect and redirect runoff from driveways, patios, and low spots. The right tool when water is moving fast across a hard surface.
Channel Drains and Catch Basins
A functional drainage solution that looks like a design feature. We grade and line a natural-looking creek channel with stone that moves water during rain and looks intentional the rest of the time.
Dry Creek Beds
Sometimes the fix is the grade itself. We reshape the ground so water flows away from problem areas by gravity. Swales are shallow channels graded into the landscape to direct sheet flow.
Yard Regrading and Swales
Roof runoff dumped at your foundation is one of the most common drainage problems we see. We extend downspouts underground and route water to a proper outlet away from the structure.
Downspout Extensions and Underground Diversion
Water may be coming off the roof, crossing a neighboring property, collecting in a low spot, or running down a slope. We trace where it's coming from and where it can safely go before deciding how to fix it.
Combination Systems
What Does Drainage Work Cost in San Antonio?
Price Range:
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Basic Drainage Fix - Starting at $1k
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Yard-Wide Drainage System - Starting at $4k
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Major Water Management - Starting at $7k
Drainage pricing depends on the scope of the problem, the solution required, and site conditions. A single downspout diversion is a very different job from regrading a quarter acre and installing a French drain system.
What moves the price:
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Linear footage of drain pipe or channel
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Depth and complexity of excavation
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Outlet location and distance
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Whether regrading is involved
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Access to the problem area
How do I know if I have a drainage problem?
Standing water that persists more than 24 to 48 hours after rain is the clearest sign. Erosion channels in your yard, water intrusion along your foundation, consistently soggy areas, or mulch and gravel that keeps washing away are all signs worth evaluating. If you're not sure, we'll tell you honestly during the consultation whether something needs to be fixed.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Can drainage work be added after a yard is already landscaped?
Yes, though it's easier and less disruptive to address it before planting or hardscape goes in. If your yard is already finished and you're dealing with drainage issues, we can work around existing landscaping in most cases. We'll tell you upfront what's in the path of the work.
What's the difference between a French drain and regrading?
Regrading physically reshapes the ground so water flows away from problem areas by gravity. A French drain collects water through a perforated pipe and redirects it to an outlet. Many properties need both. The right solution depends on where the water is coming from and where it needs to go. We figure that out before recommending anything.
Do you handle drainage on sloped properties?
Yes. Slopes create their own set of drainage challenges. Sheet flow, erosion, and concentrated runoff at the base. We often pair drainage work with retaining walls on sloped properties to manage both grade and water movement together.
Will the work tear up my yard?
Some disruption is unavoidable when we're trenching or regrading. We work to minimize it and we're straightforward about what the site will look like during and after. Dry creek beds are actually a case where the drainage solution ends up looking better than what was there before.
What happens if I ignore it?Water tends to keep following the same path, so erosion, soggy areas, washed-out beds, and other problems can become more noticeable over time. Depending on where the water is moving, it can also affect plants, hardscape, or areas around the house. Catching the problem early usually gives us more options for addressing it.
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